The Regulatory Mix, TMI’s daily blog of telecom related regulatory activities, is a snapshot of PUC, FCC, legislative, and occasionally court issues that our regulatory monitoring team uncovers each day. Depending on their significance, some items may be the subject of a TMI Briefing.

FCC Open Meeting - October

The FCC released the agenda for its October 27, 2016, Open Meeting.  The items are as follows:

• Protecting the Privacy of Customers of Broadband and other Telecommunications Services:  A Report and Order that applies the privacy requirements of the Communications Act to broadband Internet access service providers and other telecommunications services to provide broadband customers with the tools they need to make informed decisions about the use and sharing of their information by their broadband providers.

The agenda also includes four separate Memorandum Opinions and Orders that dismiss and deny Petitions for Reconsideration of four Forfeiture Orders issued by the Commission for the deceptive marketing of prepaid calling cards by Locus Telecommunications, Inc., Lyca Tel, LLC, Touch-Tel USA, LLC, and NobelTel, LLC.  In addition, the FCC will consider three media items as part of a consent agenda as well as three personnel items.

FCC Rate-of-Return Carrier Broadband Deployment Obligations

The FCC posted information comparing the defined deployment obligations that would apply to rate-of-return carriers electing model based support versus the defined deployment obligations for rate-of-return carriers remaining on the reformed legacy universal service mechanisms (including Connect America Fund-Broadband Loop Support, or CAF-BLS).  The state-wide obligation for each rate-of-return carrier under these alternatives is available here.

Colorado Telecom Rule Changes

The PUC has changed the hearing scheduled for October 27, 2016, on its proposed telecom rule changes.  TMI Briefing Service subscribers see Briefing dated 10/6/16.  Instead the PUC will host a workshop for participants to continue discussion regarding jurisdictional language, applicability of rules, and tariff alternatives on October 27, 2016.  Any further comments and redlines of rules reflecting the results of discussions at the workshop and any other suggestions not already submitted are due not later than November 9, 2016.  A final version of the revised proposed rules will be issued on November 22, 2016.  A hearing is scheduled for December 6, 2016.